by Matthew Holloway | Dec 19, 2025 | Economy, News
By Matthew Holloway |
The Arizona Corporation Commission (ACC) and the North American Securities Administrators Association (NASAA) are cautioning investors to remain vigilant this Christmas season amid an increase in sophisticated fraud schemes.
Drawing on data from NASAA’s 2025 Enforcement Report and its annual survey of investor threats, the ACC identified a dozen types of scams that state securities regulators say investors should watch for as fraudsters employ new technology, including artificial intelligence (AI), to target victims.
According to NASAA’s report, state securities regulators conducted more than 8,800 active investigations in 2024, resulting in fines and restitution totaling over $259 million. The report found that while scammers increasingly use technological tools to make schemes appear legitimate, the underlying goal remains to separate victims from their money.
“The rapid growth of technology and the rise of artificial intelligence gives scam artists new tools to steal your money,” said NASAA President Marni Rock Gibson.
ACC Chair Kevin Thompson echoed Gibson, emphasizing the role of advancing technology in enabling fraud, saying in the release that AI and other tools give “scam artists new tools to steal your money,” and that many fraudulent investment pitches play on investors’ fears rather than genuine innovation.
“Fraudsters are pitching new investments that often have nothing to do with latest tech developments and instead play on the fear of missing out on the next ‘best thing,’” he explained.
The 12 investor threats outlined by the Commission’s Securities Division include:
- Affinity or “Pig Butchering” schemes — long-term romance-based cons that build trust before prompting victims to invest in bogus platforms.
- Deepfake impersonations — use of AI-generated video and voice clones of celebrities or contacts to solicit funds.
- Phantom AI trading bots — fraudulent algorithms marketed as guaranteed return systems.
- Digital asset and crypto fraud — scams involving unregistered securities and exaggerated return promises.
- Fake AI equity pitches — sales of equity in fictitious AI companies or “pump and dump” schemes.
- Social media lures — investment scams originating on platforms such as Facebook or X.
- Short-form video hype — slick social media clips touting “get rich quick” opportunities.
- Text and WhatsApp traps — unsolicited messages that pivot into fraudulent investment offers.
- Targeting older investors — senior citizens are disproportionately targeted with both traditional and digital scams.
- Account takeovers — phishing and AI-assisted hacks that seize control of accounts to solicit funds from contacts.
- Website and app spoofing — cloned sites designed to harvest login credentials and funds.
- Unregistered solicitors — individuals selling investments without proper licensing; regulators opened 944 investigations in 2024 involving unregistered sellers.
The ACC’s Securities Division encourages investors to exercise skepticism, conduct independent due diligence, and contact a trusted third party before committing funds to any investment, the commission said, quipping they should review the list of threats and “check it twice to avoid ending up with a stocking full of coal.”
Investors looking to check the license status or disciplinary history of an investment promoter can contact the Securities Division’s Duty Officer at 602-542-0662 or SecuritiesDiv@azcc.gov, or visit azcc.gov/azinvestor for more information.
Matthew Holloway is a senior reporter for AZ Free News. Follow him on X for his latest stories, or email tips to Matthew@azfreenews.com.
by Jonathan Eberle | Dec 19, 2025 | Economy, News
By Jonathan Eberle |
The Arizona Corporation Commission (ACC) is preparing to roll out a new online business filing system, Arizona Business Connect, which is scheduled to go live on January 12, 2026. The new platform will replace the Commission’s current eCorp system and is intended to modernize how businesses file and access corporate records in the state.
According to the ACC, Arizona Business Connect will offer updated technology, improved security features, and enhanced functionality designed to streamline the filing process and improve the overall customer experience for corporations and other business entities.
To complete the transition, the Commission will temporarily shut down the existing eCorp portal to transfer and verify a large volume of data before launching the new system. As a result, online filing and business searches through eCorp will be unavailable beginning at 5:00 p.m. Mountain Standard Time on Friday, January 2, 2026.
During this transition period, corporations will not be able to file documents or search business records online. However, the Commission says customers will still be able to submit filings using paper forms. Paper filings may be delivered in person at ACC offices in downtown Phoenix or Tucson or sent by mail or fax.
All paper documents received after the eCorp shutdown on January 2 will be assigned an effective date based on when they are received by the Commission. Those documents will not be entered into the new Arizona Business Connect system until January 12 or shortly after the portal becomes operational.
Jonathan Eberle is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
by Ethan Faverino | Dec 11, 2025 | Economy, News
By Ethan Faverino |
Arizona’s childcare system is in crisis, with the number of licensed providers plummeting nearly 50% since 2002, while costs have skyrocketed beyond the reach of many working families, according to a new report from the Common Sense Institute (CSI).
The state’s licensed childcare providers have fallen from 5,126 in 2002 to just 2,779 in 2024—a 46% decline that has driven up prices, lengthened waitlists, and left hundreds to thousands of Arizona children without access to formal care.
The report, Childcare in Arizona: An Economic Opportunity with Wide Implications, warns that without urgent policy action, the shortage will continue to push parents—predominantly mothers—out of the workforce and widen economic disparities across urban and rural communities.
Currently, Arizona ranks 6th in the country for infant care costs relative to median income. The state is behind California, Vermont, Washington, Washington, D.C., and Massachusetts.
Licensed facilities have dropped from 4,660 in 2010 to 2,687 in 2022 before a modest rebound to 2,779 in 2024, with closures accelerating to 9.2% annually between 2018 and 2022 due to COVID-era restrictions, labor shortages, and rising regulatory costs.
Arizona has only 256,267 licensed slots for 460,882 children under age 6. Rural counties like Santa Cruz barely have enough licensed capacity to support 1% of the infant population in the county.
“Even as demand remains high, the number of licensed providers has fallen sharply — limiting supply, driving up costs, and constraining labor force participation,” said Glenn Farley, Director of Policy and Research at CSI. “These pressures ripple through the broader economy, reducing productivity and household income. Based on our analysis, expanding access to affordable, quality care is not only good policy, but a necessary step for sustaining long-term economic growth in the state.”
The median daily cost of infant care now stands at $61.40, a 42.7% increase from $43.03 in 2018, requiring a minimum-wage worker to labor 72.8 hours per month just to afford one infant’s care.
Urban counties like Maricopa and Pima fare better than rural areas, yet shortages remain acute. In Maricopa County, infant slot coverage reaches 13%, and families need 37.6 hours at the average wage to afford care.
Childcare workers earn just $13.67 per hour—57 cents for every dollar the average Arizona worker makes, and per-capita employment in the sector has fallen from 1.5 to 0.8 workers per 1,000 residents since its peak.
CSI estimates that closing the childcare gap could bring 50,000 jobs into the workforce, boosting Arizona’s GDP by up to $17.5 billion and generating $188 million in new income tax revenue under a midpoint scenario.
“Costly, scarce childcare sidelines too many parents,” the report concludes. “Make it more available and affordable, and Arizona wins—more people working, higher incomes, and more state revenue.”
Ethan Faverino is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
by Jonathan Eberle | Dec 4, 2025 | Economy, News
By Jonathan Eberle |
Arizona State Senator Tim Dunn (LD-25) is pushing back against what he describes as misleading and poorly vetted reporting on agricultural practices in Yuma, after a recent Cronkite News article raised concerns about pesticide use and worker safety. The piece has drawn criticism from Dunn who argues it presented opinion as fact.
Dunn, who is a lifelong farmer, said the article mischaracterized common farming practices—particularly the suggestion that pesticides are applied “under the cover of darkness.” He said nighttime application is widely used because conditions are safer for both workers and the environment, with lower winds and reduced pollinator activity.
“Arizona farmers take enormous pride in the safety of their workers, their fields, and the food they produce,” Dunn said. “Seeing an article built almost entirely from an unvetted activist narrative presented as fact—and circulated statewide—is not just disappointing, it’s harmful to the families who feed this country.”
According to Dunn, the article failed to acknowledge that all pesticide products used in Arizona undergo rigorous federal review. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency requires years of toxicology testing, environmental analysis, and worker-safety evaluations before products reach farms. Applicators must also be licensed and adhere to strict state and federal rules.
“These farmers operate under some of the toughest safety rules in the world,” Dunn said. “The article left that reality out entirely.” Dunn also challenged the story’s health claims, noting that large-scale research such as the federally funded Agricultural Health Study has not established the causal links cited by activist groups featured in the report.
“Yuma farmers feed millions of American families every winter,” he said. “The least the media can do is practice responsible journalism anchored in facts—not activist talking points dressed up as news. It’s time newsrooms, and the public institutions training future journalists, did better.”
Jonathan Eberle is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
by Ethan Faverino | Nov 29, 2025 | Economy, News
By Ethan Faverino |
As families across the nation prepared for Thanksgiving travel, gas prices provided relief at the pump, holding steady around $3 per gallon and marking the lowest levels in years.
According to data from fuel savings tracker GasBuddy and the American Automobile Association (AAA), the national average for regular unleaded gasoline has fallen significantly in 2025, with some stations even offering prices under $2 per gallon for the first time since 2021.
This year’s average price stands at $3.12 per gallon so far, down from $3.31 in 2024 and $3.52 in 2023. The decline follows a peak above $5 per gallon in June 2022, reflecting a steady downward trend that has eased the financial burdens on drivers around the country.
One year ago, the average was $3.06, matching the price of October 2025, with only minor fluctuations of a few cents this pre-Thanksgiving week.
The Trump administration has highlighted these reductions as a direct result of its energy policies since President Donald Trump’s return to the White House.
In October, the White House issued a statement celebrating GasBuddy’s report that national averages had slipped below $3 per gallon – the lowest in four years.
Head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy, Patrick De Haan, said, “It’s pretty compelling to see gas prices this low, falling ahead of Thanksgiving, and it signals what more Americans could experience in the coming months. Lower seasonal demand, falling oil prices, and rising OPEC output are all pushing prices down. While a few stations have recently dipped below $2 through temporary offers and promotions, this marks the first time we’ve seen a regular sub-$2 price.”
The lowest gas price in the country is now $1.99, available at four stations in Midwest City, Oklahoma, part of the Oklahoma City metro area. Reported on Monday, November 24, these are the first prices below $2 nationwide without discounts or promotions, marking the lowest U.S. prices since 2021.
In Arizona, gas prices have remained remarkably stable in recent weeks, with the current average for regular unleaded at $3.336 per gallon – just 4 cents below what it was a week ago ($3.380). Compared to October ($3.339), regular prices have essentially held flat, while showing a modest year-over-year increase of 12.2 cents from $3.214.
Ethan Faverino is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
by Ethan Faverino | Nov 24, 2025 | Economy, News
By Ethan Faverino |
The American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) released its 40th annual Thanksgiving Dinner Cost Survey, revealing welcoming news for American families. The average cost of a classic Thanksgiving meal for 10 people has fallen to $55.18, or $5.52 per person—a decrease of more than 5% from 2024 and the third straight year of declines.
While the drop provides some relief at the checkout, AFBF cautions that prices remain well above pre-2022 levels, following a record-high average of $64.05.
AFBF Economist Faith Parum, Ph.D., said, “It’s encouraging to see some relief in the price of turkeys, as it is typically the most expensive part of the meal. Farmers are still working to rebuild turkey flocks that were devastated by avian influenza, but overall demand has also fallen. The combination will help ensure turkey will remain an affordable option for families celebrating Thanksgiving.”
2025 Classic Thanksgiving Menu Price Changes (for 10 people)
- 16-lb turkey: $21.50 (−16.3%)
- Stuffing (14 oz): $3.71 (−9%)
- Dinner rolls (1 dozen): $3.56 (−14.6%)
- Sweet potatoes (3 lbs): $4.00 (+37%)
- Veggie tray (1 lb carrots & celery): $1.36 (+61.3%)
- Fresh cranberries (12 oz): $2.28 (−2.8%)
- Pumpkin pie mix (30 oz): $4.16 (+0.1%)
- Whipping cream (½ pint): $1.87 (+3.2%)
- Frozen peas (1 lb): $2.03 (+17.2%)
- Pie crusts (2): $3.37 (−0.8%)
- Milk (1 gal): $3.73 (+16.3%)
- Misc. ingredients: $3.61 (−4.7%)
Thanksgiving dinner costs vary significantly across different regions. Families in the South enjoy the nation’s lowest average price for a classic meal for 10 at $50.01, followed by the Midwest at $54.38, the Northeast at $60.82, and the West at $61.75.
When adding ham, russet potatoes, and green beans to create an expanded menu, the South remains the most affordable at $71.20, while the West is the priciest at $84.97.
“We are blessed to live in a country capable of producing such an abundant food supply, and for that we should be thankful,” said AFBF President Zippy Duvall. “Despite modest declines this Thanksgiving, food prices remain a real concern for many families — including farm families. We lost 15,000 farms last year due to low crop prices, high input costs, and trade uncertainty. Every farm lost moves us closer to greater consolidation and reliance on foreign food sources. We urge Congress to address these challenges so America’s farm families can continue growing the safe, affordable food we all depend on every day of the year.”
The White House also celebrated the lower cost of Thanksgiving this year, noting President Trump’s promise to lower prices and cut inflation. Retailers are stepping up with their cheapest Thanksgiving meals in years:
- Walmart’s feast for 10 is down 25% from last year, with its lowest turkey price since 2019 at under $4 per person.
- Lidl’s Thanksgiving meal is $10 less, clocking in at $3.60 per person for 10.
- Aldi’s Thanksgiving meal is $7 cheaper and at 2019 lows, $4 per person for 10.
- Target’s meal for four is at its lowest price ever, at $5 per person.
- Schnucks, one of the nation’s largest privately held supermarket chains, is selling turkeys at prices not seen in over 15 years.
Ethan Faverino is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
